Harassed by alleged rapist, 16-yr-old girl kills herself

A sixteen-year-old girl committed suicide by consuming pesticide at her residence in Ram Vihar, Ghaziabad, on Saturday afternoon, police said.

The victim's family has alleged that she took the step because a 23-year-old man, who allegedly raped her in August last year, was harassing her.

The victim's family told the police that the accused, who was arrested after the incident, was subsequently released on bail and was pressuring her to marry him.

Police said the girl's parents found her lying unconscious on the first floor of their residence at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday.

"After getting a call, we rushed to the spot from where we took her to GTB Hospital in Delhi where she was declared bought dead by the doctors," said Ashok Rana, station officer, Loni police station. "We have sent her body for post mortem."

Pawan Kumar Verma, the girl's father, said: "Chaman Sharma, the accused, was harassing my daughter after being released on bail by the court. On 7 pm on Friday, when my daughter had gone out to the neighbourhood shop, Sharma accosted her and told her to make a compromise in the case and marry him. She told us about the incident and was depressed since then."

Verma, who is a jeweller, said a couple of days ago, Sharma and his family members, who live nearby, had visited their house and offered their son's hand in marriage.

“My daughter was under tremendous pressure and was forced to take this extreme step,” he said. “We will lodge a case against the culprits.”

Deputy Inspector General Akhil Kumar said an inquiry would be conducted in the case based on family complaints.

“We will lodge an FIR under section 306 (abetment to suicide) of IPC once a complaint is lodged," said Kumar.